Whodunit Glossary
Murder mystery glossary: whodunit, red herring, fair play, alibi, locked room, parlor reveal — for new solo detective players.
June 8, 2026
Whodunit / Murder Mystery
A puzzle story centered on identifying a killer from a closed cast. Game versions add scoring and repeatability; literary versions end at one reveal.
Fair Play
All clues needed to solve the case are shown to the player or reader before the answer. Unfair mysteries hide new facts at the end — good for shock, bad for competitive scoring.
Red Herring
A suspect or clue designed to misdirect without being the solution. Distinguished from noise by authorship — the game intended you to look there first.
Alibi & Timeline
An alibi claims innocence by location; timelines test whether alibis overlap or collide. Most online accusations fail on time, not on missing motive.
Parlor Reveal
The final speech naming killer, method, and motive. Your submitted theory is that speech in text form — structure it like a courtroom closing, not a book review.
